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United States Patent |
6,053,271
|
Lee
|
April 25, 2000
|
Device for opening side window glass of automobile synchronously with
expansion of air bags
Abstract
A device, for automatically opening a side window glass synchronously with
an expansion of ESPS (electric single point sensing system) air bags, is
disclosed. The device includes a window carrier movably engaging with a
guide channel, and a regulator motor connected to the carrier by a cable.
The device also includes a window glass module provided at the upper
portion of the guide channel so as to be selectively operated by a
self-diagnosis impact sensor of the air bags in the event of an expansion
of the air bags, thus forcibly lowering said carrier along with the side
window glass by means of the explosive power in such an expansion.
Inventors:
|
Lee; Joo-Young (Kyunggi-do, KR)
|
Assignee:
|
Hyundai Motor Company (Seoul, KR)
|
Appl. No.:
|
998462 |
Filed:
|
December 26, 1997 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S. Class: |
180/282; 49/352 |
Intern'l Class: |
B60K 028/12; B60K 028/14; E05F 011/48 |
Field of Search: |
180/271,274,281,282
280/739
49/348,352
60/632
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4494336 | Jan., 1985 | Ishii et al. | 49/352.
|
5323872 | Jun., 1994 | Yabe | 180/271.
|
5823608 | Oct., 1998 | Tanaka et al. | 296/146.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
2242929A | Oct., 1991 | GB.
| |
Primary Examiner: Swann; J. J.
Assistant Examiner: Bottorff; Christopher
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Christie, Parker & Hale, LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A device for automatically opening a side window glass synchronously
with an expansion of electric single point sensing system air bags, the
device comprising:
a guide channel having an upper portion;
a window carrier fixedly mounted to a lower portion of the side window
glass and movably engaged with the guide channel;
a regulator motor connected to said carrier by a cable to facilitate
upwardly and downwardly sliding of said carrier along said guide channel;
and
a window glass module provided at the upper portion of said guide channel
so as to be selectively operated by a self-diagnosis impact sensor of the
air bags in the event of an expansion of the air bags to forcibly lower
said carrier, along with said side window glass wherein said module
comprises:
a holder fixed to the upper portion of said guide channel;
gunpowder and an initial explosive, both being provided in said holder;
an ignition member buried in said initial explosive, said ignition member
being selectively and electrically ignited by said impact sensor, thus
generating explosive power;
a projectile member detachably mounted to a lower portion of said holder,
thus being selectively and explosively projected from the holder by the
explosive power to move downwardly and forcibly push said carrier; and
means for selectively coupling the projectile member to said carrier when
said projectile member is projected, thus allowing said projectile member
to continuously push said carrier.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said module comprises:
a breakable shaft fixedly mounted to the upper portion of said guide
channel; and
a guide roller rotatably mounted to said guide channel by the shaft so as
to be selectively separated from said guide channel, along with the
breakable shaft, when a tension force acting on the cable by the pushing
of said projectile member and applied to the cable through said carrier,
exceeds a predetermined reference force.
3. The device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
a damper mounted to the upper portion of said carrier so as to damp and
absorb impact energy of said projectile member when it contacts the
carrier.
4. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises:
a locking hook provided at a bottom of said projectile member; and
a locking hole provided at a top of said carrier so as to allow the locking
hook to be snapped into said carrier when said projectile member is
explosively projected.
5. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising;
a stopper mounted to a lower portion of said guide channel so as to prevent
a complete separation of said carrier from said guide channel.
6. A apparatus for automatically opening a side window of a motor vehicle
during expansion of an air bag in the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a guide channel having an upper portion;
a window carrier coupled to a lower portion of the window and slidably
engaged with the guide channel; and
a window opening module provided adjacent the upper portion of the guide
channel, the module being automatically activated simultaneously with the
expansion of the air bag comprising:
a holder fixedly coupled to the upper portion of the guide channel above
the window carrier,
an expansion assembly contained within the holder for generating explosive
power; and
a projection member detachably coupled to a lower portion of the holder,
wherein the explosion assembly is automatically activated by expansion of
the air bag, and
wherein the explosive power generated by the explosion assembly projects
the projection member toward the window carrier to force the carrier down
the guide channel.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the explosion assembly
comprises:
gunpowder provided within the harder;
an initial explosive provided within the holder; and
an ignition member provided within the initial explosive.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the air bag comprises an
impact sensor, and wherein the ignition member is electrically ignited by
a signal from the impact sensor.
9. The apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a damper mounted
to the upper portion of the carrier.
10. The apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a stopper mounted
to a lower portion of the guide channel to prevent separation of the
carrier from the guide channel.
11. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the module further comprises
means for selectively coupling the projection member to the carrier when
the projection member contacts the carrier.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the coupling means
comprises:
a hook provided at a bottom of the projection member; and
a hole provided at a top of the carrier for engagement with the hook when
the projection member contacts the carrier.
13. The apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a regulator motor
coupled to the carrier by a cable, and wherein the module further
comprises:
a breakable shaft coupled to the upper portion of the guide channel; and
a guide roller rotatably coupled to the guide channel by the shaft for
guiding the cable,
wherein the shaft is designed to break when tension in the cable exceeds a
predetermined force level.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a device for opening a side
window glass synchronously with an expansion of air bags and, more
particularly, to a device capable of automatically lowering the side
window glass in the event of an expansion of the air bags, thus allowing
excessively compressed air and explosive sound to be effectively
discharged from the passenger compartment of an automobile into the
atmosphere.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, air bags are used as a passenger
safety device for automotive vehicles. Such air bags have a bag, which is
selectively and automatically inflated with pressurized gas so as to
provide a cushioned protection against the impact of a collision. Such air
bags are typically mounted in front of a driver's seat, front passenger's
seat and/or rear seat providing a safety feature for the driver and
passengers of an automobile.
However, an automobile with such conventional air bags has a problem as
will be described below. That is, when the air bags are expanded in
response to impact energy of a collision, the air in the passenger
compartment or cabin of the automobile is instantaneously compressed.
Also, due to the explosion of gunpowder embedded in the air bags, a high
explosive sound is generated. Such compressed air and high explosive sound
may easily inflict injury, such as an earblasting, on passengers.
Therefore, the passenger compartment of the automobile requires a quick
opening in such a manner that the window glass of a side door is
automatically lowered by a power window regulator.
In FIG. 1, an example of such a power window regulator is schematically
illustrated. As shown in FIG. 1, a window glass 1 is movably held by a
frame (not shown) of a side door, thus being upwardly and downwardly
movable by means of the power window regulator.
In such a power regulator system, a window carrier 2 is mounted at the
lower portion of the window glass 1, and is movably engaged with a
vertical guide channel 3, which is interposed between inner and outer
panels of the side door.
In addition, the carrier 2 is connected to a regulator motor 4 by a cable 5
so that the carrier 2 is upwardly or downwardly movable along the guide
channel 3 according to a rotating direction of the regulator motor 4.
However, such a conventional power window regulator is designed to be
operated without having any relation with the air bags. Therefore, when
the air bags are quickly expanded in the passenger compartment with the
side window glasses being fully closed, the explosive pressure of the air
bags may be added to the impact pressure externally applied to the
automobile, seriously inflicting injury on the passengers, especially the
elderly or the weak. Thus, the safety and operational reliability of the
automobile are reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above
problems occurring in the prior art, and an objective of the present
invention is to provide a device for opening a side window glass, which
automatically lowers the side window glass in the event of an expansion of
air bags, thereby allowing excessively compressed air and explosive sound
to be effectively discharged from the passenger compartment into the
atmosphere, reducing the injury of passengers.
In order to accomplish the above objective the present invention provides a
device for automatically opening a side window glass synchronously with an
expansion of ESPS (electric single point sensing system) air bags, having
a window carrier fixedly mounted to the lower portion of the side window
glass and movably engaging with a guide channel, and a regulator motor
connected to the carrier by a cable, thus facilitating upwardly and
downwardly sliding the carrier along said guide channel. Additionally a
window glass module is provided at the upper portion of said guide channel
so as to be selectively operated by a self-diagnosis impact sensor of the
air bags in the event of an expansion of the air bags, thus forcibly
lowering the carrier along with the side window glass by means of the
explosive power in such an expansion.
The module includes: a holder fixed to the upper portion of the guide
channel with gunpowder and an initial explosive, both being provided in
the holder. An ignition member is buried in the initial explosive, the
ignition member being selectively and electrically ignited by the impact
sensor, thus generating the explosive power. A projectile member is
detachably mounted to the lower portion of said holder, thus being
selectively and explosively projected from the holder by the explosive
power to move downwardly and forcibly push the carrier. Additionally, the
module includes means for selectively coupling the projectile member to
the carrier when the projectile member is projected, thus allowing the
projectile member to continuously push the carrier.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above objectives, and other features and advantages of the present
invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view illustrating the construction of a power
window regulator according to the prior art;
FIG. 2 is a schematic side view illustrating the construction of a power
window regulator with the side window glass opening device in accordance
with the preferred embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of the side window glass
opening device according to this invention; and
FIG. 4 is a schematically sectional view of the side window glass opening
device in accordance with this invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 2 schematically shows the construction of a device for automatically
opening a side window glass synchronously with an expansion of ESPS
(electric single point sensing system) air bags according to the preferred
embodiment of this invention.
As shown in FIG. 2, the device comprises a window carrier 2, which is
fixedly mounted to a lower portion 1A of a side window glass, and is
movably engaged with a vertical guide channel 3. In addition, the carrier
2 is connected to a regulator motor 4 by a cable 5, and is upwardly and
downwardly slidable along the guide channel 3. That is, the carrier 2 is
upwardly or downwardly movable along the guide channel 3 according to a
rotating direction of the regulator motor 4. Thus, the side window glass 1
can be raised or lowered by a user.
In the present invention, the general construction and operation of the
side window glass regulator remains the same as in the prior side window
glass regulator and further explanation is thus not deemed necessary.
However, the regulator of this invention is also provided with a device
capable of allowing the side window glass to be automatically lowered in
the event of an expansion of air bags.
That is, the device according to the present invention includes a window
glass opening module provided at an upper portion 3A of the guide channel
3. The module is selectively operated by a self-diagnosis impact sensor of
the air bags in the event of an expansion of the air bags.
Such a window glass module includes a holder 10 fixed to the upper portion
of the guide channel 3. Gunpowder 12 and an initial explosive 13 are
provided an contained within in the holder 10, while an ignition member 15
is buried in the initial explosive 13. The module also has a projectile
member 11 which is detachably mounted to a lower portion 10A of the holder
10.
In the module, the ignition member 15 is designed to be selectively ignited
by the impact sensor, thus generating the charge of the explosive power.
The projectile member 11 is thus selectively and explosively projected
from the holder 10 by the explosive power, moves downwardly, and forcibly
pushes the carrier 2.
In addition, a breakable shaft 7, preferably made of a polyacetyl or other
suitable material through a molding process, is fixedly mounted to the
upper portion of the guide channel 3. A guide roller 6 is rotatably
mounted to the guide channel 3 by the shaft 7, thus being selectively
separable from the channel 3 along with the breakable shaft 7 when the
tension force, acting on the cable 5 by the pushing force of the
projectile member 11 applied to the cable 5 through the carrier 2, exceeds
a predetermined reference force.
A damper 17 is mounted to the upper portion of the carrier 2 so as to damp
and absorb the impact energy of the projectile member 11. A stopper 19 is
fixedly mounted to the lower portion 3B of the guide channel 3 and is used
for preventing a complete separation of the carrier 2 from the guide
channel 3.
The window glass module further includes coupling means for selectively
coupling the projectile member 11 to the carrier 2 when the projectile
member 11 is projected, thus allowing the projectile member 11 to
continuously push the carrier 2 without failure. The coupling means
includes a locking hook 16 provided at the bottom of the projectile member
11, and a locking hole 18 provided at the top of the carrier 2 so as to
allow the locking hook 16 to be snapped into the carrier 2 when the
projectile member 11 is explosively projected.
The operation of the device for automatically opening the side window glass
according to the preferred embodiment of this invention will be described
below.
When an air bag is expanded due to a collision impact, which is applied to
an automobile and is higher than a reference impact, the self-diagnosis
impact sensor of the air bags is operated. Thus, the initial explosive 13
of the ignition member 15 is electrically ignited by means of an electric
wire 14 through which current flows by the operation of the impact sensor.
Thereafter, the projectile member 11 is downwardly projected along the
guide channel 3 by the explosive power of the gunpowder 12.
Thereafter, the projectile member 11 forcibly comes into contact with the
damper 17, and the locking hook 16 of the member 11 is inserted into the
locking hole 18 of the carrier 2. Thus, the carrier 2 is downwardly and
forcibly moved by the pushing force of the projectile member 11.
In such a case, the guide roller 6 is separated from the guide channel 3
along with the breakable shaft 7 because the tension force, acting on the
cable 5 by the pushing force of the projectile member 11 applied to the
cable 5 through the carrier 2, exceeds a predetermined reference force.
Therefore, the carrier 2 is allowed to be downwardly moved.
When the shaft 7 is not broken in the event of an expansion of the air
bags, the cable 5 may be unexpectedly cut, or both the carrier 2 and the
guide channel 3 may be unexpectedly bent by the pushing force of the
projectile member 11. However, in the device according to this invention,
the shaft 7 is effectively broken by the pushing force of the projectile
member 11, thus allowing the cable 5, carrier 2 and guide channel 3 to be
free from being unexpectedly cut or bent and allowing the device of this
invention to be reliably operated without failure.
Consequentially, the side window glass 1 is forcibly lowered by the carrier
2, thus allowing the excessively compressed air and the explosive sound to
be effectively discharged from the passenger compartment into the
atmosphere.
As mentioned above, the device for opening a side window glass in
accordance with the present invention is provided with a window glass
module capable of automatically lowering the side window glass in response
to an operation of a self-diagnosis impact sensor of the air bags in the
event of an expansion of the air bags, thus effectively preventing
passengers from being injured by excessively compressed air or explosive
sound. The device of this invention thus improves the safety and
operational reliability of automobiles.
Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for
illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that
various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without
departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the
accompanying claims.
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